Authors: Susan Hayes
“Holy nova. I see why you don’t want anything to do with your family.” Dane said, breaking the silence that had settled around the three of them.
She nodded. “It’s not a pretty story.”
Vance thought about his little girl asleep in her bed and his heart ached. “I hope Annie never feels that way about us. I can’t imagine being so disconnected from my family. My fathers weren’t the greatest, but when they were home, they tried to be there for mom and me. It wasn’t much, but at least they tried.”
“I don’t see what happened with my parents and me ever happening to Annie. You two will see to it she is loved and cherished. I know it must have been hard to do it by yourselves, but you’ve done a great job. Really.”
“It wasn’t easy. And we grieved. But Christine was always saying that life is for living,” Dane said.
“So, we’ve been doing our best to go on living. It’s what she would have wanted.” Vance stretched as best he could with Ciara in his arms. “Speaking of which, we need to get up and face the day.”
Dane glanced at the time. He wanted to stay in bed and keep talking to Ciara about anything and everything, but Vance was right. There would be other times and more conversations.
“Thank you both.” The smile she offered him turned Dane’s mind to jelly. She was beautiful, and she was theirs…even if she didn’t know it yet.
“All we did was listen, Ciara,” Vance murmured, nuzzling a kiss to the side of her throat.
“You did more than listen. You cared about what I told you, and you told me a little about Christine. I enjoyed talking like this.”
Dane rose to his knees and leaned in until he was nose to nose with Ciara while she was still wrapped up in Vance’s arms. “We care about you, Ciara. What happened in your past, what happens now, and we both care a fuck of a lot about what happens in the future. You’re not a passing fancy, angel. You’re something special.”
Her eyes widened and her lips parted, but she didn’t utter a word. Instead, she closed the last inch between their mouths and kissed him. Her mouth was hungry, and as her arms wrapped around his neck and pulled him in tight, Dane heard the word she hadn’t spoken. One word whispered from her heart to theirs.
Yes.
Vance drew her back down to the mattress as Dane claimed the space above her, his lips still melded to hers. Whatever was building between them, he hoped it lasted a good, long while. In fact, he’d be happy if it lasted for the rest of their lives.
Ciara wriggled into a more comfortable position and pulled back enough to flash them a smile. “What about coffee and getting ready for the day? You two have to get to work, right?”
“For you, I’m willing to forgo coffee,” Vance said.
“I bet we can make you scream before Annie wakes up,” Dane declared as lust blazed through his veins.
“I bet we can make her scream twice.”
She laughed and stretched out between them, her slender body flushing with the heat of her desires. “I bet you can, too.”
Dane stared down at the beauty beneath him and knew without a doubt he was falling in love with her. She was amazing, and she was theirs.
***
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Ciara was still doing up her seatbelt as Alayna started the shuttle and headed out for their girls’ day. The second they were out of the driveway, Alayna shot her a knowing smile and arched one dark brow. “So, how are things with Vance and Dane? And before you bother lying, you should know you’re damned near glowing right now.”
Ciara’s cheeks heated, betraying her before she uttered a word.
“Oh, wow. That good, huh? I’m glad you gave them a chance.”
“I am, too. In fact, I think I might be falling for them.” She blushed as she made her confession, but it was the truth.
Alayna whooped and grinned. “Good! They’re good guys. I’d like to see them happy again. Really happy, not just content with their lives. And I like the way you’re smiling right now. It looks good on you.”
Ciara laughed. “If I didn’t know it wasn’t possible, I’d say you planned all this to make sure I had a reason not to leave for the badlands again.”
“I didn’t, but I’m glad you’re thinking about staying. I could use your help. And it would be nice to have a friend in town. Someone I knew from my old life.”
“When you were a notorious thief and answered to no one? Do you ever miss it?” Ciara asked.
“In the beginning, yes. I was so angry at Colin and Nikolai for claiming me and taking away my choices. I couldn’t see how I’d ever fit into their world. I was used to helping others, and I admit, I liked having others rely on me. It took a while for me to find a place for myself in this world. Now? I wouldn’t go back to the way things were. I’m happy. I think you could be, too. But that’s up to you.”
“I’m thinking about it. Going back out there would be easier in a lot of ways, but I’m not sure that’s what I want. Not anymore.” Ciara’s family had judged her lacking because of her infertility and lack of social ambition. She’d walked away from them and that life without regret and told herself she would never let that happen again. Somehow, over the years since she’d left, she’d started valuing herself only for what she could do for others. That wasn’t right either. She needed to find a balance.
Alayna’s wrist unit chimed, and she pulled over to check the message. “Small change in plan. Do you mind if we shop first and do the party planning later today? One of the people I’m supposed to meet with is running late and wants to reschedule.”
“I’m all for getting shopping over with first. Maybe we can sneak in a visit to the guys this way.”
“I’ll let Griz know we’re going to be in later.” She called her bonded on her wrist unit, and within seconds, a deep, rumbling male voice answered her call. “Hey,
vorovka
. You okay?”
“We’re fine. There’s been a slight change in the schedule. Shopping first, party planning later. Can you let Colin know?”
“Will do. You and Ciara have fun, and we’ll see you this afternoon. I know I’ve said it before, but I’m proud of you. Your father is going to be impressed.”
Alayna beamed. “I hope so. Love you and see you later.”
“Love you, too.”
The vid-link went blank, and Alayna turned back to Ciara with a mischievous grin. “Let’s go see what kind of damage I can do to my credit stash. I’m in the mood to cause chaos, and you’re going to help. We’re going to find you a gown for this shindig. If I have to dress up, you do, too. I’m not suffering alone.”
Ciara couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, at least I know that being claimed hasn’t changed you.”
Alayna started driving again, and for a few minutes, there was silence before she finally answered. “I thought it would, you know? In the beginning, I believed I’d never be able to be myself again. I thought my life was over, but I was wrong.”
“I’m glad. You deserve to be happy, Alayna. Who knew you’d find your happiness with two elites?”
“Tell me about it,” Alayna agreed and gave Ciara an intent look. “You deserve to be happy, too, you know. Fate brought you here for a reason.”
“I told you, I’m thinking about it. I’m having trouble seeing where I’d fit in around here. I got used to my life the way it was. I know things are changing out there, though. You’re really making a difference. You’re bringing the rebels around and making them see there’s nothing to fear from the Alliance. You’re doing good work.”
“You could be doing the same thing I am. You want to make a difference, Ciara? Stay here and show everyone that a face tattoo and a set of tests don’t define who we are or what we can do. I know why the Alliance made the rules, but somewhere along the way the message got twisted. Rebels or Alliance, fertile or infertile, we all have rights. The rest of it is nothing but labels.”
“You always were one for causes. Fighting for the rebels. Stealing food and supplies to give to the ones who had nothing. If your bonded had any idea what they were getting when they claimed you…” Ciara chuckled. “I’m glad they didn’t know. It might not have worked out the way it did. Speaking of working out, how are things going with your father? Is it weird? Is he nice?”
“He’s nice, but yeah, sometimes it’s weird. He lost a baby and got back a full grown woman. And I’m still getting to know who he is. We’re figuring it out, though, reconnecting a little at a time. The first time he came out here, I was a nervous wreck, and he wasn’t much better.”
Ciara nodded, then asked the questions she’d been dying to know the answers to since she’d heard about Alayna’s father being alive. “I have to ask. What’s the deal
with your father? How come he never came looking for you? What happened all those years ago? Do you have siblings? Fill me in!”
“How long have you been holding on those questions?” Alayna asked.
“Ages. It just didn’t seem right to ask until we were face to face again. Some things are too personal for a vid call.”
“I tell you all this, then you have to give me every dirty detail about what you’ve been up to the last few days. Deal?”
“Deal,” Ciara agreed.
“Okay then, here are the highlights. My father’s name is Clifton Travers, and I was born Alayna Travers. I was two months old when the shuttle crashed and I got…lost. Turns out, the reason my father wasn’t with us was because he got himself shot.”
“What?”
“He was assigned to the security detail of a visiting dignitary, and there was an incident. He was seriously wounded. The kind of injuries where they call the next of kin and tell them to get to the med-center ASAP. My mother and second father were visiting friends with me when the call came in. They left immediately, ignoring several weather warnings for the area they’d be flying over because they wanted to get home. We never made it.”
Ciara reached out and brushed her hand over Alayna’s. “I’m sorry. I know this is ancient history for you, but knowing the details...”
To her surprise, Alayna didn’t pull away from the contact. Some things had changed in her friend, after all.
“I have to admit, the first time I heard the story from him, it hurt. Seeing pictures of Elise, my mother, hurt even worse. I look so much like her, it’s a little eerie. It’s like you said, knowing makes them more real to me. I think I miss them more now I know who they were. They’re faces. They’re plans. My dad and I both had chunks missing out of our lives. Having him back in my life fills some of those holes. I feel sorry for him, though. I never knew my other parents, so I don’t know what I lost. He didn’t just lose his daughter, he had his whole family taken from him. I think he still grieves for them.”
“No siblings for you then? No other parents?”
Alayna shook her head. “He never claimed another chosen. He’s been alone all this time.”
“So, what happened after the crash?”
“He was in the hospital for weeks, and by the time he was strong enough to go looking for answers, there weren’t many to be found. The crash investigation was eventually closed. Everyone on board was declared dead. Dad went on to make a full recovery, and he coped with everything by focusing on his job. He started working his way up the ranks quickly. He didn’t have anyone or anything in his life but the Alliance. So he gave them all he had.”
“Do you feel like telling me about your parents? I’d like to hear more. You know my family sucks. Tell me about yours. Starting with how you were found.”
Alayna smiled. “You asked for it. Tell me when you’ve gotten tired of hearing about it. He believed I’d died in the crash with the others. Then, when I was fourteen, I got caught long enough to be tested and tattooed. The system matched my DNA, and I gather all hell broke loose when they told my father I wasn’t dead after all. He came looking for me, but by then I’d escaped custody and was on the run. Sam helped me disappear for two years. I stayed deep in the badlands and didn’t go anywhere near where they’d caught me.”
“He must have been out of his mind. Losing you, then finding out you were alive only to lose you again.” Ciara couldn’t imagine what that would be like. It had to have been brutal for him.
“He looked for months, but you know what it’s like out there. So many empty miles of land to hide in and no one trusted the Alliance enough to give him any clue where I was. Sam heard rumors the Alliance was looking for a young scroll who matched my description. There were even claims it was a father looking for his daughter, but Sam told everyone it was a ruse. He insisted they were after me because I was a scroll. I believed him. Everyone did. Why wouldn’t we? Every time he heard another rumor, he sent me deeper into the badlands. He thought he was protecting me.”
“Do you think Sam knew what he was doing?”
Alayna nodded. “He’s admitted he suspected that the stories were true, that a father was looking for his long lost daughter. He hid me anyway.”
“He loves you.”
“I know. That’s why I’ve forgiven him.”
“I’m sorry for all the time you and your father two missed out on,’ Ciara said.
“I am, too. I figure it wasn’t meant to happen that way. Fate had a different plan for us. I’m glad we found each other again, now.”
““When did you find out about him? When did he know you were back?”
“He contacted me a few days after my bonding ceremony. The first
thing I got from him was a handwritten letter, delivered by one of his personal aides. I cried when I read it.” She glowered at Ciara. “And if you ever repeat that to anyone, I’ll deny it and then kick your ass.”
Ciara laughed. “Your secrets are safe with me. Always have been, always will be.”
Alayna gave her an approving smile. “I know. That’s one of the reasons I want you to stay in town. You’re the only person who knows the real me.”
“Your bonded do, too. And even if I don’t stay, I won’t be gone forever. I’ll come visit, I promise.”
Alayna pulled into a parking space and shut down the shuttle, but didn’t move to leave her seat. “The rest of the story is pretty simple. When I resurfaced, he was in some kind of hush-hush briefing, no incoming messages allowed, no contact with anyone outside. The notification about my reappearance didn’t get to him until he was on his way back to Capital City. One of his aides told me later that the night he found out I was back was the first time any of them had seen him get drunk. Ever.”